This invention relates to motorcycles and, more specifically, to a motorcycle license plate housing having an interchangeable illuminated message bar.
Typically, a license plate is attached directly to a motor vehicle. Recently, the use of license plate frames to mount license plates to motor vehicles has gained popularity, especially with regards to motorcycles. License plate frames are increasingly popular with motorcycle enthusiasts, both as decorative accessories and as added protection for the license plate. One popular decorative enhancement contributed by some license plate frames is in the form of an illuminated message. While license plate frames including illuminated messages are known in the art (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,887,087 to Frizner), such frames include the message as an integral part of the frame. However, the entire frame must be replaced in order to change the message. Hence, there is a need for an improved license plate frame capable of displaying any one of a number of illuminatable messages without the waste and expense of having to replace the entire frame each time the message is changed. The present invention is directed toward meeting this need.
In one aspect, this invention is a system for displaying interchangeable illuminatable messages adjacent a license plate mounted on a motor vehicle. The system includes a license plate holding frame portion and at least one message bar portion adapted to couple to the frame portion. The frame portion also includes a light source and the message bar portion includes a series of optically transparent or translucent characters through which the light source may shine.
In one preferred embodiment, the frame portion is a chromed aluminum member adapted to be attached to a motorcycle and fitted to hold and display a standard motorcycle license plate. This preferred embodiment further includes a slot formed in the frame portion and a string of LED light sources positioned in the slot and electrically connected to the motorcycle""s headlight system, such that the LEDs are energized when the motorcycle lights are energized. In this preferred embodiment, a chromed aluminum message bar having a series of alphanumeric or symbol characters cut therethrough is secured in the slot, such that the alphanumeric characters are illuminated when the LEDs are energized.
In some embodiments, a tinted mask is positioned between the LEDs and the characters. In these embodiments, the message is colored by the light from the LEDs filtering through the tinted mask.
In other embodiments, the light source is one or more incandescent bulbs positioned in the slot. In these embodiments, the incandescent bulbs are chosen to be compatible with the voltage parameters of the power source.
In still other embodiments, the frame and message bar portions are formed from plastic. In these embodiments, the frame and message bar portions may be chromed or chrome plated for the appearance of being metallic.